Bale tie



Feb. 16, 1937. A. v. ROWE 2,071,089

' Y BALE TIE Filed Dec. 11, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 INVENTEIR.

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Feb. 16, 1937.

A. v. ROWE BALE TIE 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Dec. 11, 1935 INKZ'ENT DB. Qlubn) [1120106 ATTYE.

Patented Feb. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES rATENT OFFICE BALE TIE Alvin V. Rowe, Galesburg, 111.

Application December 11, 1935, Serial No. 53,983

19 Claims. (01. 24-27) This invention relates to bale ties, and more particularly to a new and improved tie wherein the end loop portion of the tie or wire is secured in place by welding.

Important objects of the invention are to provide a loop portion at the end of a bale tie or wire without unduly twisting or straining the wire fibers, to provide a loop portion with the use of a minimum quantity of wire, to provide a loop wherein the wire is not cut or damaged during the formation process, and to provide a loop which is of increased strength and rigidity and wherein the loop parts will not be subjected to relative movement or working action during use of the bale tie.

More specifically it is an object of the invention to produce a new and improved bale tie loop by welding. In one form of the invention the welded loop is made from raw or basic, bright,

hard, drawn wire, in other forms it is made with the use of annealed wire. Ordinarily annealed wire has adhering thereto an outer coat of scale which interferes with proper welding of the wire. Accordingly it is a further object of the invention wherein the loop is made from annealed wire, to provide efficient and satisfactory means for removing the scale from the wire prior to the welding operation.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a loop portion wherein the parts are arranged to facilitate the welding operation, the arrangement being such that a strong multiple weld may be produced without danger of burning the welding electrodes; to provide a shape of loop head which facilitates threading of the bale tie in use; to provide a shape of loop wherein the tendency of the pulling tension upon the loop to disrupt the welded wire portions is minimized, and to provide a loop having no loose ends or 40 pockets to catch article portions to which the bale tie may be applied or an operators fingers, but wherein the wire end is shaped and arranged to divert articles with which it comes into contact.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein certain preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.

In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a welded bale tie loop formed of basic, bright, hard, drawn wire in accordance with the principles of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of the loop of Figure 1 55'; showing more particularly the manner in which the welding electrodes may be applied to the for welding.

Figures 3 to 8 inclusive are views showing one method of forming the loop from annealed wire. Figures 3 and 4 illustrate successive steps in removing the scale from the wire. Figure 5 is a side view of the wire shown in plan in Figure 4. Figure 6 is a plan view of the completed loop. Figure '7 is a side view of the completed loop showing the manner of applying the welding electrodes thereto, and Figure 8 is a perspective cross sectional view taken along the line 8--8 of Figure 4.

Figures 9 to 14 inclusive illustrate another means of forming the loop from annealed Wire. Figures 9, 10, and 11 show successive steps in removing the scale and bending the wire. Figure 12 is a side view of the wire as shown in plan in Figure 11. Figures 13 and 14 are plan and side views respectively of the completed loop, Figure 14 also showing the manner of applying the electrodes.

Figures 15, 16 and 17 show still another manner of forming the loop from annealed wire. Figures 15 and 16 illustrate successive steps in bending the wire, and Figure 17 shows the completed loop with the welding electrodes applied thereto. I

Figure 18 illustrates a conventional twisted bale tie loop and wire end attached thereto.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, in this instance the loop at the end of the bale tie is formed of basic, bright, hard, drawn wire generally referred to as raw wire. Raw wire is in the condition it assumes as it comes off from the draw benches and is free from any scale or other coating of foreign substance which might interfere with the welding of the wire. In forming the loop, the wire In is first bent by suitable means into the shape shown in Figuresl and 2. As will be seen particularly by reference to Figure 2, the side H of the loop lies in the same planewith the main body of the wire It, whereas the side'lZ of the loop is inclined to bring the wire end portion l3 into superposed relation upon the main body I0. The end [3 lies in a plane parallel to the main body it to facilitate the welding and the application of the electrodes M to the wire. As electric current is applied to the electrodes, Welds will be formed at the two points l5 where the superposed wires cross. It will be noted that the areas of contact between the Wires at the points I5 are considerably less than the areas of contact between the ends of the electrodes and the wires. By this means satisfactory welds will be produced without danger of burning the electrodes. That is, a high current density will be obtained between the wires at the points i 5 whereby to produce a strong and satisfactory weld. At the same time the unit current density between the electrodes and the wires, due to the increased area of contact between the wires and the electrodes, will be much lower, thus avoiding any tendency to burn the electrodes at the ends.

The wires are welded together at two points either one of which should be sufficient to hold the loop in position. The double weld insures double strength. One of the welds I 5 is directly adjacent the extreme end l6 of the wire. This weld, therefore, aids in holding the extreme wire end in position against movement as tension is applied to the bale tie in use. The extreme wire end I6 is also so disposed and held with respect to the main wire body It as to ward off articles with which it comes into contact and not catch them. The end I6 is in the embodiment illustrated at an angle of substantially 45 degrees with respect to the main wire body l0, although this angle may be varied within limits without departing from the spirit of this feature of the invention. The end thus presents the slanting surfaces I! and I8 which will ward off articles whether such articles aproach the end in forward or reverse direction, and the surface I! mergeswith the wire body H! at the point l9, whereby to preclude the formation of any pocket to catch material.

The loop head in its entirety is spear-shaped due to the sloping slides H and 12. This shaping facilitates threading of. the loop through balerv blocks or other articles with which the loop is used. In this form of the invention the straight wire end at the other extremity of the wire body [0, which end is to be tied into the loop after the bale tie is applied to a bale, will be annealed to facilitate the tying operation. The loop portion being of raw wire, has a greater strength than an annealed loop, but in certain instances it may be desirable to anneal the loop after the welding operation to relieve any stresses and strains which may be set up in the metal due to the bending of the wire.

Referring now to Figures 3 to 8 inclusive, in these figures there is illustrated one method of forming the loop from wire which has been previously annealed. Annealed wire has adhering to its outer surface a scale which is formed during the annealing process. This scale interferes with welding of the wire as it forms an insulation impeding the flow of electric current both between the wires at their points of contact and between the wires and the electrodes. This scale may be removed by subjecting the Wire to acid or the like prior to welding. However, in accordance with the present invention the scale is preferably removed by the much more rapid process of bending the wire at certain points to crack off the adhering scale. In forming the loop the annealed wire body 20 is first sharply bent at the points 2|, 22, 23, 24 and 25 as shown in Figure 3. In producing these sharp bends the metal on the outside of the bend is stretched and that on the inside of the bend is contracted. This stretching or contraction of the metal cracks from it and removes the adhering scale After the bending operation, the wire may be brushed, if desired, to insure removal of all the scale which has been loosened. The metal along the neutral line of the bends, indicated by the numeral 26 in Figure 3, is neither expended nor, contracted so that particles of scale may continue to adhere to the metal along this neutral line. To remove these particles, the wire is next partially flattened on both sides as indicated at 21 in Figures 4, 5 and 8. This flattening operation further breaks off the scale along the neutral line, but even if the scale along this line is not entirely removed, a flattened contacting area is provided which, at the worst, has scale only on a small portion thereof along its central line.

The wire is then bent to form the completed loop as indicated in Figures 6 and '7. As in the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2, the loop is so bent as to bring the portions thereof which contact the electrodes into parallel relation to facilitate application of the electrodes. It will be noted that the points 28, where the wires cross and at which the welds are formed, are points wherein the wire has been sharply bent to remove the scale. Also, the flattening of the wire insures that some scale-free wire portions will be brought into contact regardless of any adherence of scale to the neutral lines of the bends. As in the embodiment previously described, the two areas of contact between the wires are appreciably less than the areas of contact between the wires and the electrodes to insure the production of a strong durable weld without burning of the electrode ends. In this instance the extreme end 29 of the wire is arranged at right angles to the wire body 20 to avoid the catching of particles of material, and the close proximity of the weld 28insures that the end will remain in position. In this instance not only is the loop spear-shaped, but the side 30 of the loop forms in effect a continuation of the body 20. This permits a straight pull which minimizes any tendency to disrupt the loop or its welded portions as tension is applied to the bale tie in use, and it also further facilitates threading of the loop through header blocks.

Referring next to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 9 to 14 inclusive, in this instance the annealed .wire body 2|! is first bent in serpentine fashion as indicated at and 36 in Figure 9 to remove the scale by expansion and contraction of the wire surfaces. The wire is then straightened to its original shape as shown in Figure 10. As previously pointed out, some scale may adhere to the wir along the neutral line 31 of thebends. The wire is then rotated through an angle of 90 degrees after which it is bent as indicated at 38 and 39 in Figure 11. As will be understood particularly by comparison of Figure 12 with Figure 11, showing the wire as now bent in side and plan View respectively, the neutral line 37 along which scale may adhere is now disposed along the sides of the wire and away from the portions which will be brought into superposed contact in the completed loop. The wire is now bent to form the complete loop which in this instance is the same shape as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, and the electrodes are applied to form the welds 40. The shape of-the loop being the same as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the same characteristics will result.- Figure 14 clearly illustrates the neutral lines 3'! which are along the sides of the wire remote from the points of contact between the superposed wires and between the wires and the electrodes.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 15, 16 and 17 the annealed Wire body 26 is first bent in serpentine fashion to remove scale at the points indicated by the numerals and 46 in Figure 15, the neutral line of the bends;

being indicated by the numeral 4.1. The tops of the bends are then slightly flattened as indicated at 48 and 49 in Figure 16. The completed loop with the electrodes 50 applied thereto is shown in Figure 17, three welds being produced at the points 5|. In this instance the neutral line 41, to which some scale may adhere, is spaced both from the points at which the wires are in contact with each other and the points at which the wires contact the electrodes 50, by reason of the fact that the wires are contacted along their side portions. The electrodesiare shaped to conform to the contour of the wires and by this means the area of .contact between the electrodes and wires isfmuchgreater than the area of contact between the wires themselves whereby to produce satisfactory welds between the wires and to avoid burning of the electrodes as in the other embodiments of the invention. If desired, the flattened portions 48 of the wires which contact the electrodes could be made of greater extent than the flattened portions 49 which contact each other, or the flattened portions 49 could be dispensed with leaving the wire in its original condition at these points. as in Figure 15. In this event flat ended electrodes, as shown for example in Figure 14,.could be used and there would still be a considerably greater area of contact between the electrodes and the wires than between the contacting wire portions.

The wire loop is generally spear-shaped and the side portion 52 thereof may be substantially parallel to the main length 20 of the wire as in Figure 6.

In Figure 18 there isillustrated a conventional twisted loop 55 having the bale 'wire end 56 attached thereto. Of necessity such twisted loops must be formed from annealed wire as this is necessary to secure a closely knit twist. It will be seen that the twisted portions 51 and 58 of the wire are free to move slightly relative to each other as tension is applied to the bale tie. This causes a working or abrasion of the wire which leads to its rapid destruction. Moreover, the multiple twisting of the wire at the portions 51 and 58 results in the setting up of strains in the wire fibers which materially weaken such fibers. The necessary tight twisting of the wire requires that the wire, during the twisting operation, be gripped by some sort of holding tool which frequently results in the formation of abrasions on the wire which further weaken it. A long as well as a tight twist is required to hold the loop in position, and this results in the waste of a considerableamount of wire which is necessary to form the twist. Even if the end 59 of the twisted wire is originally arranged in parallel relation to the main wire body 50, as the loop is subjected to tension the end 59 tends to move away from the wire body to the point indicated at 59. Such loose wire end catches article portions to which the bale tie may be applied as well as the fingers of an operator, and constitutes a dangerous and abrasive obstruction. A welded bale tie loop, as constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, avoids these difficulties. The welded tie wire is not unduly twisted to set up strains in the fibers. There are no loose ends to catch foreign articles. A minimum amount of wire is consumed in the formation of the loop. Any relative abrading movement of the loop parts is precluded by the fact that they are rigidly welded together. The loop is reinforced by multiple welds and double wire thickness at the points of greatest strain.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the precise embodiments of the invention shown and described and in the method steps of formation without departing from the spirit of the invention. The invention is accordingly not to be limited to the precise embodiments illustrated, but only as indicated in the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A wire bale tie comprising a main wire body having a free tying portion at one end thereof, a loop'provided at the other end of said body, said loopiincluding wire portions welded together and being formed of raw drawn wire, and said free tying portion being .formed of annealed wire.

2. The method of forming a wire bale tie which includes forming a loop at one end of a main body length of wire and forming a free tying portion at the other end of said body length, welding portions of the loop while the wire is in raw drawn condition, and annealing both the loop and the free tying portion to form the completed bale tie. 1

3. The method of forming a bale tie which comprises removing the scale from spaced portions of a main length of annealed wire, forming a loop at .one end of said length by bringing said portions into contacting relation, and welding said portions together.

4. The method of making a wire bale tie which comprises sharply bending spaced portions of a main length of annealed wire to remove the scale therefrom at such portions, forming a loop at one end of said length by bringing said portions into contacting relation, and welding said 'portions together to form a rigid completed loop.

' 5. The method of making a wire bale tie which comprises sharply bending spaced portions of a main length of annealed wire to remove the scale therefrom at such portions, producing flattened areas on said portions, forming a loop at one end of. saidlength by bringing said flattened areas on said portions into contacting relation, and welding said areas together to form a rigid completed loop.

6. The method of forming a wire bale tie which comprises bending spaced portions of a main length of annealed wire in one plane to remove the scale therefrom, restraightening the wire into its original unbent form, rebending said wire in a plane substantially at right angles to the first plane to bring said spaced portions into contacting relation, and welding said portions together whereby'to form a rigid wire loop.

'7. The method of making a wire bale tie which comprises producing serpentine bends at spaced portions along a main length of annealed wire whereby to remove the scale from the wire at said portions, bringing the portions into juxtaposed relation with the tops of the serpentine bends in contact, and welding the contacting portions together to form a completed wire loop.

8. The method of making a wire bale tie which comprises producing serpentine bends at spaced portions along a main length of annealed wire whereby to remove the scale from the wire at said portions, bringing the portions into juxtaposed relation with certain tops of the serpentine bends in contact, flattening other tops of the bends, and welding the contacting portions together to form a completed wire loop.

9. The method of forming a wire bale tie which comprises bringing parts of spaced portions of a main length of wire into contacting relation, en-

gaging said portions with electrodes shaped to engage said portions, and passing electric current through said electrodes whereby to weld said parts together to form a welded bale tie loop.

10. A wire bale tie including a main length of wire having a loop provided at one end thereof, said loop including a section of wire. doubled back upon the main wire length to provide a loop opening, said doubled section being welded to said main wire length at spaced points.

11. A wire bale tie including a main length of wire having a loop provided at one end thereof, said loop including a section of wire doubled back upon the main wire length to provide a loop opening, said doubled section being welded to said main wire length at spaced points, the extreme end of said doubled section being immediately adjacent one of said points.

12. The method of forming a wire bale tie which comprises forming a loop at one end of a main length of wire by doubling a wire section back upon the main length, arranging said section in superposed relation to the main length but at an angle with respect thereto to provide point contact between said section and said length, and welding said length and section at said point of contact.

13. The method of forming a wire bale tie which comprises forming a loop at one end of a main length of wire by doubling a wire section back upon the main length, arranging said section with spaced points thereon in contacting relation with the main wire length, and welding the section and length together at the points of contact.

14. The method of forming a wire bale tie which comprises forming a loop at one end of a main wire length by doubling back a section of wire in juxtaposed relation to said main wire length, bringing a given area of said length and section into contacting relation, contacting a greater area of said length and section respectively with spaced electrodes, and passing electric current through said electrodes.

15. A wire bale tie including a main length of wire having at one end thereof a loop portion, said loop including a section of wire doubled back to provide the loop opening and welded to the main wire length, the sides of said loop being straight and converging away from the main length of wire to provide a relatively sharp pointed spear-shaped loop opening.

16. A wire bale tie including a main length of wire having at one end thereof a loop portion, said loop including a section of wire doubled back to provide the loop opening and welded to the main wire length, one of the loop sides being parallel to the main length of wire and forming a continuation of said length.

17. The method of forming a wire'bale tie which comprises forming a loop at one end of a main length of wire by doubling back a section of wire from said main length, arranging said section and length in parallel planes and in spaced contacting relation, contacting said length and section with electrodes, and passing current through said electrodes.

18. A wire bale tie comprising a main wire length having formed at one end thereof a loop portion, said loop portion comprising a wire section doubled back upon and welded to the main wire length at spaced points, the edges of the extreme end of said section being angularly disposed with' respect to the main wire length to ward ofi articles with which the end may come into contact, and said end being contiguous with the main wire length to avoid the formation of a pocket between said end and said length.

19. A wire bale tie comprising a main wire 1 body having a free tying portion at one end thereof, a loop provided at the other end of said body, said loop including wire portions welded together and being formed of annealed wire, and said free tying portion being also formed of annealed wire.

ALVIN V. ROWE. 

